End Cross-Border Terrorism If You Want To Help J&K: India To Pak

Pakistan must end cross-border terrorism if it wants to contribute to the welfare of Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday, responding to Imran Khan’s criticism of a new job rule implemented by the centre in the Union Territory.

“We have seen the intemperate remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on India. With regard to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it is very clear that Pakistan has no locus-standi whatsoever on any aspect pertaining to it,” news agency ANI quoted the government as saying.

The centre said Pakistan’s repeated attempts to interfere in India’s internal affairs will not make its “untenable” claims acceptable.

“If Pakistan wants to contribute to the welfare of people of Jammu and Kashmir, it could do so by ending cross-border terrorism, desisting from its campaign of violence and false propaganda,” it said.

The notification of domicile rules – which loosened the criteria of who can claim residency and opened up higher-level jobs for all and kept only lower level jobs reserved for locals – had triggered a massive row.

After a unified backlash from all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir including the BJP’s local unit, the centre on Friday reversed the rule. The new rule now says all jobs will be reserved for domiciles who have lived in the union territory for 15 years.

The old notification was criticised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which warned the law would give rise to “massive problems for the residents of J&K”.

The local unit of the BJP, as well as the party’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had also raised concerns with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other members of the national leadership.